Last week on the Emmy-award winning prime time HBO series 'Girls', there was some controversy in the media about Hannah's character played by Lena Dunham, who has a weekend tryst with Joshua played by the hotness that is Patrick Wilson at his Brooklyn brownstone. The reason why this particular episode was so significant compared to previous episodes, was because of the idea of a man as incredibly sexy as Patrick Wilson would unlikely be in a relationship (or even a casual encounter) with Lena Dunham. I personally do not think Lena Dunham is unattractive, and I think that she is very capable of winning over a stud-muffin like Patrick Wilson. However, physical attractiveness is not just a factor in this conversation. Joshua is a wealthy doctor of a certain age, with a brownstone (with an interior to die for) that he OWNS. Lena is a struggling writer who rents and shares a small apartment with her best friend Marnie in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The vitriol surrounding this asymmetrical couple surrounds the notion that the likelihood of a wealthy attractive older doctor bedding a minimum wage-earning plain-jane coffee shop employee is somehow implausible. Hence the term asymmetry...an absence of symmetrical balance between two objects. In order for our society to accept the idea that a couple should be together simply because both look incredibly attractive, share the same financial background, or even should be of the same race to me is just a preposterous and archaic way of thinking.
I have seen many couples that look like Hannah and Joshua. I've seen really hot guys (older) with younger not-so-hot girls and vice-versa. I've also seen disparities in age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, etc, etc, etc. My point is why should there be an attack on the show for writing this particular story line? I've had my issues with the series 'Girls' and its become one of those shows that you love to hate. However-- putting aside my own personal feelings about the show's lack of diversity-- since when was it a big deal to be an asymmetrical couple?
Here are a list of celebrities in my opinion who were definitely "The Odd Couple" in terms of looks only:
Julia Roberts & Lyle Lovett
Tyra Banks & Seal
Christina Hendricks & Geoffrey Arend
This is only a small sample and there are more examples to illustrate here, but here is what I take issue with. Would this episode been just as controversial if Lena Dunham was an older guy and he was bedding a really hot chick? Or even if it were the case that it was a younger normal looking guy bedding a hot chick (like in every Judd Apatow film you have ever seen) would anyone care?
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| Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen in Knocked Up |
I personally take issue with how Dunham chooses to embrace herself. I think she has a sloppy way of doing it, but I get her cause and why she chooses to illustrate her own sense of self to millions through her TV series. Love her or hate her, everyone is talking about her, the TV series, and she's smiling all the way to the bank. There are moments I absolutely love watching the show and there are moments I hate it and wish there was something I could do about it. Like completely re-write the episode.
However, the issue with a frumpy normal not-so-cute girl being with an incredibly powerful sophisticated older man should not be a shock to so many people. This notion should be taken with a grain of salt and not be seen through 'skeptical lenses'. Hell I hope I can find a Joshua in my life. I could use a sexy hot doctor who owns a Brooklyn brownstone to sweep me off my feet.
A girl can dream can't she?
